Tuesday, October 30, 2007

SEASON 2 EPISODE 6 - "THE LINE"

NO SPOILERS AT ALL THIS WEEK AS THERE’S BARELY A BLOG!!!

Dearest readers, I apologize, but I just can’t get out a proper blog this week. It’s been crazy around HEROES-town lately, with 3 shows shooting at once and us working 7 days a week and trying to get 3 episodes locked in the editing room. I just couldn’t get my blog homework done this weekend

I promise a nice juicy blog next week, and at least here’s some photos:

149 comments:

It's amazing that this blog even exists, and I can't thank you enough for your time and dedication!

I don't mind -at all- that there are "only" pictures this time.The picture of Hayden, Milo, and David posing is my favorite out of this post, it seems that the atmosphere on set is really relaxed and friendly.

I like that we actually saw Claire cheering this week ;) And please re-unite the Petrellis!

you guys are adorable.. everyone is having a hell lot of fun in there, huh? :pAbout this blog entry - it really doesn't matter, because as long as you post some pictures, we, the blog readers will be always happy about that 8D

I have a feeling I'm providing a counter to many of the posters here, so let me start by saying that I love Heroes. It's one of the few shows each week that I actually make time to sit down and watch. It really got my attention last year, and despite the lackluster ending I would still highly recommend it to anyone.

However, this season has been somewhat disappointing in comparison, and I think there are a few reasons why.

Last season had the luxury of mystery, discovery and suspense. The Mystery came from Isaac's paintings (a really cool idea, by the way) and the bomb that we saw coming from the episode where Hiro ended up in Isaac's apt (another cool scene). We saw Discovery as each of the characters learned what was happening, and struggled to deal with it in their own way, primarily through the centerpieces of the show, Hiro, Peter and Claire, who each had interesting storylines to follow. And the Suspense came from Sylar's malevolent journey and HRG and the machinations of the Company. It all came together to create a really great show.

This season is different, though. And before I go on, let me again reiterate that I'm a fan of the show and I'm not here to bash anyone or their work, because I know a lot of people put a lot of effort into this. But for whatever reason, it's just not working this time around, and hopefully some critical thinking/reviewing from people not connected to the show can help you guys make changes that make us all happy and entertained.

Let's start with the Suspense. You guys hit gold last year with Sylar. Everything about him worked right, so it's probably a little unfair to expect the same results this time around. I totally understand that. But even so, the bad guys this season are a little underwhelming. I like that Parkman's dad is the nightmare man... that's cool. And the trap he laid for Matt and Nathan was also a cool idea. But for some reason I don't see him as scary, or especially dangerous. I did when he first came up at the end of last season, and maybe a little bit at the beginning of this one, but for him to be a villain (if that's what he really is), there needs to be a greater sense of dread when dealing with him. It's early in the morning, so I can't offer any good suggestions as to how, but his character is a good idea that just needs a little bit more 'oomph'.

Now the other guy... someone is out to kill the old heroes, I get that. He's supposed to be scary and dangerous, and people are afraid of him. But I'm not. I'm not even interested in him, and I'm pretty sure I know why. The scene where he kills Nakamura was a mistake in my opinion. It's a little underwhelming to show a short guy in a hoodie, a guy that's supposed to be really dangerous, 'tackle' Nakamura off the edge of a building. That one scene totally undermined his credibility as a dangerous bad guy, and it also make Kaito look weak. All these old guys are supposed to be powerful in some regard, so why not show that? Why don't they take every step imaginable to defend themselves? We don't even need an expensive FX scene with powers, just show the aftermath instead. In my opinion, it would have been a much more powerful scene to show Kaito being attacked/killed off-camera, and letting our imaginations fill in the gaps (also a way to increase the Mystery this season). But seeing someone who's supposed to be a major bad guy essentially throw his enemies off the roof kinda spoiled the whole thing. It basically tells me that _I_ could have been up there and thrown him off the roof, too.

As for Sylar... I'm not sure what I think about him this season, yet. I'll get back to you on that. :)

Next is Discovery. Last season was about these people learning they had powers. This season can't really do that all over again... at least not exactly. The characters last season already know they have powers in this season, so we can't keep seeing them 'surprised' that they have them. So there's two options here:

1. Focus on new characters as they learn they have powers.2. Focus on how existing characters grow with their powers.

I'm seeing aspects of both options above in the show this season, but I don't think they're doing it exactly right. We're seeing Maya/Alejandro and Monica as new additions. I don't have a problem with the Maya/Alejandro storyline, other than it feels a bit cliche. But my main issue here is Monica. Without getting into too much detail, I think it's a risky move to show Monica learning about her powers from the beginning since it feels like we've already seen this. Its starting to feel obvious that she's supposed to end up as some kind of New Orleans vigilante or protector or something, so why not start at that point? I'm thinking it would have been a more interesting story to have her already know about her powers, and we meet her already at the point where she's working as a costumed hero or something. Make it a mystery (there's that word again) for Micah to discover.

As for option 2, I think this is way more interesting, because we're already invested in the existing characters, and we already like them, seeing as how we're still watching the show. I want to see these guys and girls take these powers to the next logical step, i.e. acting like someone who really has these powers and using them to their full extent and not being so afraid of them. And I see that happening, but only in bits and pieces. We saw a little bit of this with Parkman, when he used his powers to talk to Nathan, and used them in training to become a detective. But he seems to be the only one.

Let's look at Nathan for example. He's a great, complicated character who seems to add some kick to every scene he's in, but do we ever see him do or say anything about his ability to fly? Does he enjoy it? Does he hate it? What does he think about it? Why not explore how he feels about this ability and let us as viewers share in that? And I'm not trying to single Nathan out. This applies to all of the characters. Why don't we ever see them practice (other than Monica)? It just feels like really interesting character-driven moments, or scenes where we would really get to see these characters grow, are being left out in favor of clunky exposition and unbelievable or stilted dialogue. And it's disappointing.

Ok, last is Mystery. Last season had some good ones. What is the Company and it's motivations? Who is Sylar? What's with this explosion in NY? Not that any of those ideas were groundbreaking, but they all came together very well and worked for us as viewers. This season will apparently focus on a plague. Not that a plague isn't a dangerous thing to be worried about, but compared with last season, all I can do is shrug. In fact, when I saw Peter and Irish lass in a deserted NYC last night, I have to say I was a little annoyed. I liked the idea that he uses Hiro's power, but having him jump a year ahead to an empty NY seemed... familiar. It feels like that scene was either a clumsy homage to Hiro and Ando jumping 5 years ahead last season, or just a recycled scene from fifty other zombie/plague movies. I can't really explain why I feel that way, I just think it was horribly un-original or unimaginative by the writing staff.

It's terribly unfair to expect perfection from a show every week, but I feel like Peter's story especially should be a tentpole of this show, and if I had to describe his storyline in season 2 up this point in word, it would be 'lame'. I hate to say it, but it's true. A show about superheroes should, at it's very core, be inspiring. And I'm not feeling that this season. Last year, Peter wanted to do great things, Hiro was on a mission to save the world, Nathan wanted to make his family proud, and Claire wanted to find hers. This season? Nathan's washed up, Claire's got a boyfriend, Peter has amnesia (really? amnesia?), and Hiro is in fuedal Japan (which brings up the point, what's going on with all that?). See what I mean? Where's the drama and the struggle? Where's the inspiration?

I could go on, but I think my point is pretty clear. Something crucial is missing this season, and I really hope that as the season progresses, we start to see things come together a bit more. I'm still on board with this show, and I'll give it the rest of the year, but if the writers can't find and show what makes these characters inherently watchable, then I have a feeling it will be a long, slow death for this series.

That épisode was ok...I liked the 'russian' action(good to see old HRG back), i LOVED Sylar's monologue, wispering threats and thoughts to a non-understanding Alejandro.The thing is i don't think scenarists are good in telling love stories in fact. They systematically get boring:West and Claire: please noooooo! And the funny thing is that West is meant to be mean? What? Because he made a cheerleader caught red-handed with drinking alcohol? Wow: naughty boy/naughty girl!Remember last season: Claire got her revenge in trying to KILL in a car accident her assaulter!And she didn't need an advice for doing that...And Takezo Kensai turned bad too because he saw Hiro KISS (only!...) her supposed girl friend? mmmm...The writers are definitively better in action scene i must say:-)Nobody can buy those 'love' thingies i guess, they just don't look in the right place, or legitimate, or whatever.Give up the love stuff and get back to what you do the best: clever storylines, actions,intensity, surprises, interesting characters confronted with important choices. I love that show, thank you for it,keep on the good work!

Amen, kriskramer. I love this show and it's really the only appointment television I have. But this season has been incredibly slow and unfocussed and I'm finding myself having to beg my friends and family to stick with it. PLEASE. Don't let this show be a one-season-wonder. I beg you.

First of all, thank you again so much for doing this blog. I missed your long comments this week, but as I've said before, I'm amazed that you find time to do this at all. So I'll be looking forward to more extensive comments next week.

I love your blog and the episode commentaries you've done. The one you did last week with Greg Grunberg was a riot.

Thanks for the pictures though - they were cute. And the story boards were neat.

It feels to me that the season is picking up steam and we're headed towards the first drop on the rollercoaster ride that will take us to the first break. :)

A great episode. I loved the twist that West and Claire take in accomplishing their goal. Plus the sublte nod that Claire gives out as she listen's to West's growing vibe of impending danger. I can't wait to see which parent of his is tied to the other heroes/company.

Greg, don't worry about having no blog entry...you guys work hard enough as it is! Thanks for giving us a great show.

If there's one thing I would put on my wish list for this season, though, it's that you give all the characters great storylines and character development. Right now there's a lot of uneven-ness. People are complaining about Claire, and raving over Nathan and Matt, but it's not because Claire's intrinsically less interesting than Nathan or Matt--she was one of the highlights of Season 1. I'm totally psyched about the awesome Nathan/Matt scenes we've been getting--it would be great if everyone else could have such exciting stuff to work with, too. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the season.

I love your blog very much and sometimes I'm looking forward to see your blog more than the episode.

As some people are mentioned, I also am not sure about the "love story" part. I like the human love affair, but I don't like soapy cheesy story. I really don't want to see the "Heroes" turning the direction towards to "chic flick". (I'm a woman, and I like "chick flick", but no. Heroes needs to stay as an "action" drama).

thanks for the blog. great pics. nice to see you care enough to do this... i'm a big fan of the series..

but...

i think that was a pretty weak episode - so far i’d say that season 2 is really un-focused .. and drags on way too long.. episode 6 was probably the most boring episode ever and for the first time i could see that this series might not have the staying power that i thought… (and that really bums me out!!)

i will continue to watch, but the writers/directors better get their act together… uncertainty in the plot is one thing, but this sporadic story-telling with no apparent reasoning for going from one character to the next is getting tiresome.. there’s no way you can say that you (as in the viewers) are as engaged in the storylines as you were at this time in season 1.. just my opinion tho.. thanks for the blog.

i should mention however.. i just watched the preview for next week’s episode and it looks like some answers as to where this season is going might finally be coming (a storm coming to wipe out the world or something.. good vs. evil..)

(Psssst! Perhaps this is also another reason why ratings are down - people are boycotting the addition of Kristen Bell? TOO MUCH HYPE, and for NO GOOD REASON!! Dania Ramirez and Dana Davis didn't even get one tenth of the amount of exposure and pieces that KBell did, and they're REGULARS, now! It's just all very disappointing.)

Aside from the KBell rant, I agree with some of the posters here about the show. This season hasn't been nearly as exciting as the last, and although I loooove Heroes to death (BEST SHOW EVER! Y/Y!?), the Peter storyline in particular is just not working for me. Which is, of course, sucky (for lack of a better word) for Milo Ventimiglia, because he is an AMAZING actor (both inside AND out, w00 w00!).

Greetings from Venezuela!Thank u so much, mr. Beeman, for this great gift for all of us, fans of Heroes. Keep up the good work! The show is now better and ever. Give my love to everyone on the show... but especially to Milo and Zach! *kiss* ;)

I'm really impressed that you took the time to post pictures at all when you're that busy. It can only mean you have some notion of how eagerly we anticipate them! (Plus, what's up with that picture of Claire and the leg? Her leg? Someone else's leg? A leg-lamp? A model mock-leg created for the sole purpose of Heroes-awesomeness?!?)

Just wanted to say that I found kriskramer's post thoughtful and well-meant, and I think I agree with just about everything he/she had to say. But I also had a funny reaction while reading it, in that I realized I had been thinking about the show in nearly opposite language, but not in such a way as to actually be at odds with anything the post said.

I will e'splain! (No, there is no time. I will sum up.)

I think there's another sense in which a "load-bearing" (so-to-speak) plotline can only tolerate so much mystery at a time and still promote suspense and involvement. For me, suspense works best when each installment gives me something to turn over and over in my mind afterwards. Not just regarding what might happen next, but what the variety of elements taken together might add up to. (I don't necessarily need enough clues to get it right; most of the time I enjoy being proven wrong). But that source of enjoyment is hard to seize on when there are too many unknowns at once. I think one of the show's great strengths has been keeping a delicate balance of fascinating knowns (or solid suppositions, at any rate) to provocative unknowns. But this season has left me feeling comparatively at-sea.

We want to know what the characters are doing, what's going on in their heads, what got them here, and what they might or might not do next. Last year, we pretty much knew what HRG was doing, but we didn't know why. We also had some assumptions about what got him to that point - assumptions that were there to be awesomely exploded (yeah, that night I couldn't seem to stay seated on a single piece of furniture for more than ten seconds)- but for most of the season, most of my questions about the past were localized around how he came to be Claire's adoptive father and why. As to what the man does next: in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the HRG character is that he's predictable in a certain specific sense. He's been trained to operate a certain way, he's good at his job, and you're just like, "he wouldn't, he wouldn't, he wouldn't... Crap a dog! He just did!" (Yeah, last night's episode occasioned a lot of good old-fashioned yelling at the tv, which is just the way I like my Heroes!) Then, when the man goes and does something different, it’s that much more surprising and seems to reinforce one of the many inspiring themes of the show: that regardless of what you’ve come to think of a person, there’s more to them than you can see, and the next time they get a choice between heroism and villainy, heroism and cowardice, ordinariness and extraordinariness, etc., it’s a new decision, a new day, a new chance to succeed or fail.

Nathan, on the other hand, was an equally mysterious character, but his mysteries were differently localized. You knew what he was doing, both as a public and a private person, for the most part. You knew a certain amount about his convoluted family history and his present motivations (with some excellent twists along the way – like the first time he flew, and the FBI involvement). What you never knew was what the man was going to do next: be the shark or the devoted family man? Brush off the funny little Japanese man or bond with him? Kill Linderman? Save his brother, his daughter? Save the world? He was complicated enough to support a pretty limited scope of mystery, and the more we knew, the more there was to resolve. In a sense, the more we knew about him, the more mysterious he became.

In fact, I think some of the most suspenseful moments of the season came when we knew *more* than the characters themselves. Dude, Peter, wrong cheerleader!!! And don’t worry about the whole falling to your death thing. It’s bound to come right in the end. ;o9 And how much more poignant and awful is Nathan’s choice between his dream and his brother once you realize, as he does not, that he won’t get that dream, either way?

(I know I’m cheating by drawing on stuff from later in season 1 than we currently are in season 2, but I think the basic point still makes sense. We need disclosure in order to have that sense of mystery and suspense that kriskramer is missing).

Right now, with a lot of the characters, I feel like the mystery is too widely distributed. I don’t know much about what they’re doing with their day. I know pointedly nothing about what got them here – because I’m not supposed to know yet. And as long as they only talk about their moment to moment activities in the scene, I don’t really know what’s going on in their heads. In some ways, knowing what they’re going to do next is actually easiest, since that seems to depend more on what needs to get accomplished at a given point in the season than on the complexity of their motivations – which I don’t know about.

What does Ando do when he’s not scroll-reading? What does he plan to do? He misses Hiro; why? What does he miss? What does he think Hiro should have done about Kensei and Yaeko? Is he yelling at his scrolls the way I’m yelling at my tv when I get excited? “Hiro, no!! Not with the kissing and the fracturing of space/time!!” Or, by contrast, “Hiro, you stud!!”

What does Peter do with himself all day in Ireland? Does he work in the pub? Does he really sleep in the back room?!? What does he think about or talk about to pass the time, especially with no memory? Does he try to make conversation with the thugs? Does he have any plans before fate takes its course? Does he have any questions he *does* want the answers to, even if there are many that he doesn’t? We can’t know until the time is right what happened to him to make him this way, but we still want to be allowed into his present inner life.

Even Claire’s story, which lays a lot out in the open, feels frustratingly closed insofar as it’s hard to make the connection between the girl who almost got murdered, whose dad took a bullet for her, and whose uncle and biological father suffered quite a bit (if not, in Peter’s case, died) because of their powers, to the girl who mostly just wants to “be herself.” Why doesn’t obscurity pose any promise of relief to her? Why doesn’t HRG use the past to leverage her cooperation, or to get her to see eye-to-eye with him? Basically, why don’t they talk about it? It’s weird that it doesn’t seem to matter to them. (I know you're working hard to encourage as many "hop-ons" as possible, to bastardize an Arrested Development reference, but the fact that the characters don’t seem to refer to, talk over, contemplate, or build from their experiences last season sometimes makes what they are doing now seem inexplicable – or worse: unimportant. Perhaps this makes it easier for some viewers to join in, but I can also see it being confusing or misleading for them).

Now, I know I shouldn't mind being told to wait a little, and I try to remind myself that if I get to a certain level of frustration – or even pure anticipation, as the case may be – with a tv show, that’s probably a good sign that I need to crack a window, go outside, get a life, etc. But waiting until episode seven or eight to get to know meaningful aspects of the characters’ stories seems a little long – especially for brand new characters who don’t even have an existing mythology to recommend them.

With all that said, last night really clicked for me. Though I find myself hard-pressed to say just why. Yaeko confronting Hiro and deducing his role in Kensei’s rise to heroism was the first time I *really* dug her as a character. It wasn’t just that she turned out to be astute and realistically so, it was more that her overall reaction struck me as truly honest and immediate. Hiro also surprised and troubled me (in the way of good drama, I mean) not so much by choosing to kiss Yaeko, but by being willing to glibly take credit for any and all of Kensei’s recent good-deeds – which isn’t strictly fair, right? I mean, Hiro did a lot of pushing, but toward the end, Kensei was actually trying to be that man, Hiro or no Hiro. Ignoring that, letting the girl ignore that, struck me as a deeper, more interesting betrayal than just the kiss. I wonder if there will come a moment when Hiro has to admit he’s been the victim of a little self-deception.

Sylar and the twins gained interest for me as well. I still feel that I need to know more about the two siblings than their immediate perils to really appreciate even their immediate perils. And while Maya’s recent choices suggest she’s not as innocent as we may have supposed, shouldn’t there be something really special about her as a person that makes me grieve that innocence the more? But Sylar in the car is automatically the weirdest road trip ever, so I’m contented for now that the plot is picking up speed.

Some may dislike the overtness of the mustache-twirling scene where Sylar declares his intentions to poor, uncomprehending Alejandro, but is it okay if I actually like it when Sylar gets a little too dramatic for his own good? I mean, for me, half the fun of that character is: “Oh man, what story is he telling himself today that makes what he’s doing seem all right or justified or even consistent and comprehensible?” It’s like he has to conceal from himself that all his story really boils down to is being selfish and insisting on his own way, and being without powers has meant having to rehash that story for himself, over and over again. I kind of get a kick out of the new-fangled, powerless Sylar going from throwing his little tantrums like a thwarted child to trying to come across as a reasonable guy to his fellow travelers.

Bob was more deliciously ambiguous in his remorse and contrition than he would have been in icy insistence on Mohinder’s cooperation. Monica continued to just beam charisma. (I don’t have much of a handle on her as an individual yet, but she’s just so winning! I hope she stays around long enough to make a real impression. Anyone else think that with her enthusiasm and conscientiousness and sass, she might be a better match for Hiro one day than the girl history won’t let him have?) Mohinder throwing the stool into the cabinet was thoroughly badass (if scientifically baffling). I mean, I’m not personally a scientist, but isn’t that cabinet full of Deadly Virus? Claire’s boyfriend appeals to me more (as a character, not a love-interest, mind you) the more it becomes clear that his power has seriously messed him up. Their plan was not an exercise in especially good judgment, but that’s adolescence for you, so I don’t really mind. And if it gives Claire a good scare down the line and shakes her out of her present self-involvement, so much the better!

I was really excited by Peter’s jump to the future – because I’ve been waiting and waiting to see him use his timelord powers and because the change of light dawning on his face was rather beautiful, a nice transition – but I can see why some people were more apt to regard it as a retread of last year’s distopian future-trip. Still, being an amnesiac lost in the future is kind of an odd situation and great things could come of it – maybe even some answers. Try not to kill Caitlin, ‘kay? I ‘m not the sort to ever insist that any pair of people are or aren’t meant to be together (making one possible exception for Jim and Pam), but it’s so hard to introduce new characters without powers on Heroes (it’s not like they can generally have a whole plotline of their very own), and it takes time to get them connected, make them seem as relevant and involved as the super-powered characters. I think Caitlyn has potential, given time, to be a touchstone of ordinary humanity for Peter, whether or not they stay “together,” and she works as a traveling companion and convenient “Watson,” too. I kinda like her. Don’t kill her off just yet, maybe?

I agree with what kriskramer, kitty, dave from canada, and that last post (anonymous @ 7:34pm) said. This season has been inconsistent. Episode 5 was my favorite of any so far because it gave us some new things to consider. It also introduced new characters...and they used their powers right away! These are some powerful people, and to know that new things could happen without the writers dangling the possibility in front of our faces for several episodes.

Episode 6 just seemed like filler. At the end of the episode, I could only think of about 5 minutes of real "events". And even those events did not leave me excited about anything. I felt like I had been teased and cheated out of a real story.

The strength of this show (usually) is that I think about it throughout the week. The events leave me thinking. These characters have powers, and it is fun to imagine yourself in this world. But what kind of person has powers and does not use them all the time (whether that be in private or public)? I want to see them use these powers...even if it is just for the fun of it. The Sylar storyline from season 1 gave us that kind of excitement.

I doubt these comments will make any difference. I am sure it is a fine balance to make a show like this work. Just know that there are plenty of fans waiting in the wings for some big excitement.

PS - Kristen Bell is amazing. I don't know what that anonymous guy was talking about.

I love where the show is headed and I am glad to know that all of you are hard at work trying to get as much done as you can before the possible strike.

I know there has been a lot of negativity towards this season. But as a whole the show has been great and I know that you all are going to blow the fans out of the water and a lot of crow will be eaten by the end of this episode arc.

Greg, I check your blog religiously b/c it's awesome and it awesomely gives a wonderful insight into the workings of my favourite, favourite show. Thank you for putting the effort to blog every week; the photos alone are worth their weight in gold (or more; since when do digital photos weigh anything)? And of course, you are The Awesome for writing it.

Now having said that, can I offer some feedback about the season so far? I just read this article featuring our illustrious show runner and it got me thinking, especially his quote here:

"Part of what happens on any show is that you enter a relationship with your viewers where you teach them how to watch your show and they teach you what they seem to be responding to ... And we, I think, are in this process right now of teaching the audience how to get used to the idea that not everybody is going to be in every single episode."

I see Tim's point, but I'm also worried there's already been too much "teaching" in Volume 2 (presuming it has already been shot in its entirety by now). His comment seems to underestimate the average audience's TV savvy (and we can be quite an intellectual and cerebrally vicious bunch) and our meticulous love for a show we're passionate about. After loving 23 episodes, its arcs, it's mythology and most of all, its characters, it's hard watching Heroes' slow disintegration without speaking up about it (obviously cannot actually do anything, no matter how much I want to be in that writer's room!).

With respect, the core of our dissatisfaction for Volume 2 isn't the fact that our favourite characters aren't going to appear in every single episode. We're smart enough to accept this. Nobody who regularly watches Heroes is under any illusion that their favourite character is going to dominate the screen or the storyline. The bigger picture - the larger story - is on such a global, vast scale that any attempt to contract it would not make sense. I enjoy watching new characters being introduced and new storylines; what I don't enjoy is where the story is disjointed, the writing irregular and the characters, out of character, within the established ambit of the show.

What I loved about Season 1 was that everything made sense in its context; now nothing makes sense. Forgetting spoilers which I won't quote here, but even something as simple as Caitlin immediately jumping on a plane with Peter, who she knows nothing about, possesses abilities presumably inexplicable to a no nonsense girl like her and even though her brother has just died a horrible, violent death? Her subsequent interactions with Peter make no reference whatsoever to her having lost her own family. I compare this with Peter's mad dash to Odessa last season to save Claire at Homecoming. Both on paper are equally irrational. But within the ambit of Peter's character - his sincerity, kindheartedness and desire to "be someone" - playing the hero was entirely in-character and therefore, made it a breathtaking turn of events.

I do hope Heroes continues to push the boundaries as far as story telling is concerned; what I hope equally is that when one element doesn't work, it's admitted and the failure (for want of a better word) dissected. I'd like to see storylines that aren't forced but grow out of the characters and their interactions organically. I'd like to see more of what I enjoyed about Season 1 - twists and revelations that were built into the foundations of the plot; emotional connections springing into fruition between characters that have - dare I say it - on screen chemistry that adds that extra zest.

Maybe this is the result of too many things going on at once and not enough time to do it, maybe everyone is just snowed under juggling all the different elements of putting together a show like this week after week. For that I am grateful and continue to applaud and admire what pressure you guys are constantly under, week after week.

I think Tim's right in that a show and an audience share a relationship - a symbiotic one. I hope Volume 3 will see the fruits of this relationship flower into a more satisfactory journey for all concerned. The story potential for Heroes is so huge it's hardly quantifiable and I'd hate to see it lose that so quickly.

I'm sorry my first comment here is so painstakingly soapbox oriented - but I love Heroes so much, it's really hurting to see these episodes coming out below par.

I still love the show but there's just a few things that aren't working.

*Send Hiro back to the present time and make him interact with the other heroes.

*Kill Caitlin. She has no chemistry with Peter and she's only dragging his story down.

*Kill off the new heroes(minus Monica), they're not compelling enough and only take precious time from the original cast.

*Remember when we could see all the heroes in one episode every week (with minor exceptions)? It was awesome. Now for every good episode with Nathan or Matt they have to sit out on another episode, because there's no time enough to everyone, and that sucks.

Don't listen to anybody here. Nobody can agree on what they think the show is lacking. Some hate Sylar. Some love Sylar. Some think the show is moving too fast. Some think the show is moving too slow. Some are excited about the new threat. Some wonder why we're going there again. Some hate these characters but love those characters. Some love those characters but hate these characters.

You can't please these people. Just keep doing your thing. Heroes is great. I think the pace is fine. I think the mysteries are great. I love the characters and I'm intrigued with what all this is leading up to. Keep up the awesomeness.

Ok - Episode 6 wasn't the thrill ride of 4 or 5, but it's laying some foundation: You need some episodes like this.

And one of the best bits is that whatever Hiro IS doing back in the 15th century has a ripple effect, as evidenced by the Isaac paintings - so we're going to see all of the threads pull together soon.

I'm more than willing to be patient here. I don't know better than these writers, and I have confidence in what they're doing... they have a full arc they're pursuing, this isn't episode-by-episode making it up like X-Files or Lost (seems to be).

1. Adding too many new characters (regulars). The twins, KB, Kensei. Most viewers don't care about them and they just take screen time and attention away from the original characters (whom the viewers already have vested interest in).

2. Giving Claire, Hiro, and Peter plots that take too long to move on and takes up too much screen time instead of dividing the screen time equally amongst all characters.

3. The idea that 'story' is king and everything else is expendable. Wrong idea. Characters should always take precedence over 'story'. If you have characters, you can spun out many interesting stories based on these characters. That's how comics have survived all of these times despite having the same characters.

First of all, thank you Mister Beeman for this space and your time to the fans.

The points I'd like to add to what KrisKramer mentioned are:

1.-Sylar is a great villain indeed. Or I should say, it was a great villain. I used to hate him but now before he even speaks I know what he's going to say: "I'm going to kill you and take your powers". I don't know if he is a scratched disk or a poor version of Gollum always looking for the precious. Anyway, it's turning into a laughable character.

2.- Listen to the fans, in this blog you can read that people are getting tired of not having the same feeling of last season. I share the same view, as in, I will watch the show but I am not thrilled about it anymore. It seems to me that you Sir, care about this show, do something.

3.-If it worked the first time... then it'll work again on the second season. I know you've said in a previous blog: "I know that, to some people, it feels like it’s been too much too fast, and some wonder where have last year’s heroes gone? But Tim Kring expressed from the beginning of the development of this year that it was important to him to keep evolving the big-picture story. He really wanted to create a global sense to the show this year."

I agree with you and with Tim Kring (of course)on the big picture story.My points are the timing and story telling. It's too slow and it is too much. take out the parts that are unnecessary, repetitive, and the dialogues that act as fillers and you will see a much different season.

Remember what Ernest Hemmingway said: "Take out the good lines and see if the story still works".

I am very admiring and grateful that you write this blog. I can't imagine working all week and then writing a big, informative post about what I did where people could comment on what I did. Amazing! The level of accessibility you display really blows my mind. You're wonderful on the commentaries as well.

I personally LOVE virus/pandemic storylines - they are scarier to me than any vampire, zombie, or exorcist movie you can come up with. So I am completely on edge waiting to see what happens with the Shanti virus.

Also, I like Maya and Alejandro! I think you guys have captured the "Spanish road movie" feel perfectly.

Thank your, Mr. Beeman for posting these storyboards. I'm trying to learn to do them myself, and love the strength, pizzaz and clarity your board artist brings. Please tell us his name and pass on my admiration.--Rebel

Much as it pains me, I'm hoping for the writers' strike, because I'm hoping it gives this production a chance to step back, to look at the season thus far, and the fan reaction to it.

A lot of people have offered thoughtful, workable commentary here on what's wrong, and what's not working, but as a writer, I think the ways to fix the errors this season are myriad, and wide open, as long as Heroes fixes the one truly grave flaw this season has, and that's that none of the characters are connected anymore. On top of that, we're six episodes in, and we've just barely gotten a hint of a unifying storyline for them.

Last year, even when everyone was spread far and wide, they still had relationships with each other. Claire with her father, Peter with Nathan, Hiro with Ando, especially Hiro with Ando- later on, Sylar with Mohinder, which really crystallized just how sociopathic Sylar was, and just how human and good Mohinder was.

All of these amazing dynamics are gone this year. And while films are about stories, television shows are about people. We tune in for the people, to check in with them- we have relationships with them, and we can handle it when dynamics change. We can handle it when stories change. And honestly, we'll put up with a lot of incredibly slow exposition, major story repetition, and brand new faces- as long as we get to check in with our old friends.

That doesn't mean every character has to be in every episode, or that no relationship can ever change, but it does mean that the deliberate destruction of every single existing relationship from last season, from Niki and Micah all the way down to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet leaves us, as the audience, marooned. None of the stories are connected, none of the people are connected. What is there left to care about, if everything we care about is gone?

Fans aren't leaving because they're not getting their way; they're not leaving because they don't understand how to watch a serial episodic- they're leaving because they feel alone.

A lot of us followed you and Mr. Loeb over from Smallville, so we're doubly invested. We throw up a little cheer when we see your familiar palettes, or when you get your dollhouse shot after all. So, I admit, you've got fans that take this a little- a lot- more personally than they should.

But the faith note, the grace note is, no one wants your success more than we do. We really are on your side; we'd just like to know you're on our side, too.

Despite my concerns with the season so far, I am really looking forward to episodes 7 through 11. I think we will start to see people come back together (along with those relationship dynamics). Still, I hope the writers read these comments and begin to understand why their biggest fans were beginning to lose faith in the show.

The only thing wrong with this show is it's fans. You people are some picky, impatient human beings. Chill out.

Someone mentioned something about why Kristen Bell got so much hype and why the others didn't? Um. I didn't even know who Dania, David, and the other two were before Heroes. Kristen had a cult following with Veronica Mars and everyone was anxious to see what she was doing next. That's why there was so much hype. Quit complaining about "killing people off" and just relax. We've only seen around 10 minutes of Elle in total, so why judge so soon?

I'm just going to laugh when everyone regrets the bashing and the lists of what's wrong when episode 11 blows them out of the water. Just wait and see.

Just wanted to say thank you for even making time to keep this blog going. Love what your doing w/ this season and keep it coming!

So happy to finally see every painting and I know we get more looks next ep. Peter is the man and to think the Company tagged him as a threat. Most powerful Hero, he has the capablity of saving the world w/ the help of the other main people, Clarie and Hiro!

Greg, I heard that in preparation for the writers' strike, NBC has closed down Heroes' production and that they demanded that episode 11 is re-written to be season ending. Is this true? If it is, could you please make sure that at least Nathan and Peter are reunited in this episode?

If what Sabrina is true, I hope you guys will rewrite the virus part of the plot so that it doesn't start at the end of episode 11. That will just be a horrible way of ending the season. It's bad enough that we had to endure similar cliffhanger last season regarding this character. I don't think I want to endure another cliffhanger like that.

I think the episode titled "Four Months Ago" will shut everyone up. Then they can stop complaining about not knowing what's going on. This is Heroes, people. They're not going to leave us in the dark for that long. I knew in the beginning there would be an episode that went back four months ago. If you truly loved the show, you would stop complaining about what's wrong with it and be patient.

The writer's strike really freaks me out, for lack of a better term. I don't know if I can handle only 11 episodes of Heroes. I hope they work out a deal. I won't be able to live with just reality shows and re-runs.

i Hope someone of the heroes staff can answer me, maybe you Greg in the next update. Is it true that the show is risking to end earlier because of the writer's strike? Jesus i hope is just a rumor! i dont want only 11 episodes!

Anyway, Heroes is the only thing on TV I watch, and I've never been disapointed by a single minute of the show. Even the 'worst' spots are better than any other show I've seen. Some of you people sure are hard to please. You guys do great work and the new season is awesome. Keep it up, and good luck with the writer's strike!

Wow... what a bunch of wordy nitpickers. Seriously folks, think about getting your own blogs. Or maybe a job as a tv network executive whose only function is to send "notes" down to the producers. There were many similar complaints last season too, which people seem to forget.

You probably don't need me saying this but you'll never please everyone. We all have our favourite characters and favourite parts of the series.

And to kriskramer, there's a reason this show is called "Heroes" and not "Superheroes".

Mr. Beeman, thanks for taking the time to bring us some behind-the-scenes information. As long as you and your colleagues stay true to your vision for the show, I'm sure most of us will continue to enjoy the ride, nitpicking all the way to the end. :)

Could you please tell Kring to hire scabs to write the rest of Season 2? Because until last week, it's pretty clear that Heroes definitely needs to clean house and start again. Last year was like reading a Marvel graphic novel, this year it is like reading a 1950's DC comic. When will this show have animals with super powers show up?

And we have to wait until the 19th before Hiro starts his manhunt for his father's killer? Meh.

First, I loved Season 1 of Heroes, own the DVDs and carry every episode on my iPod. I haven't given up on this season yet but I must admit to be underwhelmed so far. And for me it started last year.

There was the habit of over-promising and under-delivering (Save the Cheerleader, Nikki's Role in the Larger Mythology, Kirby Plaza, etc). But the final writing on the wall was not having the courage to follow through and kill Sylar, Matt, Nathan, and DL right there in Kirby. And let's not talk about a man who can anticipate and stop five bullets moving at greater than the speed of sound being taken down by a chubby nerd waddling five steps to run a sword through his chest.

Kring stated that Heroes was to be more like '24' than Lost, but I don't see it like that. 24 has a small staring cast and an extended co-staring cast. Everybody except Jack is expendable. It's what gives the show its drama.

I thought that, when I heard that comment, the Petrilli Bros. would create a counter-balancing group to the The Company and maybe strike a tense but always tested truce. Bad things would happen in the world, the brothers and their associates would try to help, but in the background The Company would be looking for anything that would give them the upper hand over the very powerful Peter.

What we have instead is way too many coincidences, Peter (who is just short of God-like) with no memory, My Two Dads in NYC, Clair who seemingly has no memory of just who bad life COULD get for her and her family, Nikki who seemed to be cured in Kirby Plaza, Sylar who suddenly doesn't need to worry about an infection (like Candice stated) cause I am certain he isn't carrying for those wounds properly, and the wonder twins.

There is an inconsistency to the characters this year. None, except Sylar, seem to recall the stakes of last year or be able to consider their roles in the larger picture. All seem to be operating in a vacuum that stunted their growth from last year. Case in point, like after last year anything at high school would even remotely interest Claire. She would find it so pedestrian and insignificant that she might unenroll and get her GED.

I guess last year I was hooked into the growth of the characters and this year I feel that many are starting back from where they left off last season or not growing at the same pace as last year. Monica is the one bright exception.

I will certainly hang in there. I am hoping that all of us will be surprised but so far I am not as impressed.

Thank you for a delightful blog. I am loving the show, got a little concerned that it wasn't moving too well this season, but last Monday's episode had all the earmarks of "great story" and I am very excited to see what might unfold. I am delighted with the possiblities that Adam brings to the show. 'Hiro' has won my heart. 'Mohinder' has the voice of a saint. As a very old Trekkie, seeing my childhood "heroes" in a new genre brought unexpected smiles to my heart. Your blog tells me the fan base is wonderfully diverse; I prefer a good story line; others seek the special effects. The original premise for these genetic 'quirks' to occur seemed a bit lame to me in the beginning, but I have fallen in love with the characters and am concerned for their survival. Thank you to the people who dreamed this menagerie up! It is an excellent diversion from the day's challenges.

ok, I could care less about the twins, they are simply the writers way of expressing their own opinions about illegal immigration. Whatever. And Sylar should have died last season. Move on to a bigger and better villan, someone who has a more unique and complex motivation than the spoiled brat who slices open heads because his mother didn't love him or whatever. I loved the show last year. This year is pretty disappointing. The characters are lost and confused and so are the viewers. Last year there was good vs evil. This year is more of the mindless "is there really evil or is it a matter of perspective?" postulations by the writers. Somebody save this show!

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